portmann



(No Model.)

H. G. PORTMANN.

CENTER BEARING SPRING FOR ROCKERS. No. 390,898. Patented Oct. 9, 1888.

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N PETERS. PhnXo-Lflhngraphnn Washington. D. C.

tJNTTnn STATES PATENT Orrrce.

HENRY G. PORTMANN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO\VILLIAM \V. PORTMANN, OF SAME PLACE.

CENTER-BEARING SPRING FOR ROCKERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,898, dated October9, 1888.

Application filed May5, 1888. Serial No. 272,933.

To (LU whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, HENRY G. PORTMANN, of the city of St. Louis, in theState of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inReciprocating Center-Bearing Springs for Rockers, &c., of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invent-ion relates to an improvement on myinvention for combinedchilds carriage, cradle, and chair for which a patent was is sued onJanuary 31,1888, No. 377,270; and it consists in a reciprocating rockercenter-bearing spring with its hanger-links, that is especially adaptedfor attachment beneath the rockers of combined carriages, cradles, androcking chairs such as are the subject-matter of my said patent, but mayalso be used as a subsidiary spring-balance attachment beneath all otherelevated or raised rockers.

Figure I is a perspective view of one ofthe axles and rocker-springs ofmy combined. carriage and cradle, as described and shown in theaforesaid patent, with the reciprocating rocker center-bearing springattached beneath it. Fig. II is an enlarged detail, and shows therocker, axle, and center-bearing spring with part broken away to fullyshow said spring and its means of attachment; and Fig. III is a verticalsection taken on line III III, Fig. II, and shows the axle, the standardris ing from said axle, the rocker within the slot in which saidstandard rises, the hanger-links, the upper screw-bolt that couples saidlinks and rockers, the center-bearing spring, and its screw-boltedattachment to the hanger-links.

Referring to the drawings, in which similar figures of referenceindicate like parts in all the views, 1 represents the axle.

2 is the rocker-section of the combination rocket-spring, which issecured to the springsection 3, which it supports, by screw belts orrivets 4, and together comprise the axle and rocker-spring of a combinedchilds carriage and cradle, as shown and described in my aforesaidpatent.

5 is a vertical standard, that rises from the axle (with which it isintegral) and passes through the slot 6 of the rocker.

{No model.)

7 represents the reciprocating rocker center-bearing spring, the loop 8of which is pivotally secured between the two hanger-link plates 9 bythe screw-bolt 10, which passes through the links at their lower endsand through said loop, and, being secured by the screw-nut 11, the saidbolt secures the lower end of the spring and the lower ends of thependent links together. The spring curves around upward, and its upperflanged extremity, 12, is seated in theinverted socket13 on the underside of the axle. The upper ends of the hanger-links are coupledtogether by the bolt 14, which also passes through the rocker-sectionand through the trapezoidalshaped slot 15 in the standard 5, that risesfrom and is integral with the axle 1; and the screw-nut 16, whichengages on said bolt, secures it in its seat, holds the pendent linksthat constitute hangers for the suspension of the spring, and holds therocker in rocking connection with the arched axle which it surmounts.

It will be seen that the hanger link plates keep the rockers definitelyin line with the axles, or, in a rocking-chair, with the raised rockertracks or platforms, and at the same time allows them free rockingmovement along those lines, and the upper bolt, 14, that passes throughthe upper ends of the hangers, the rockers, and the trapezoidal-shapedslots 15 in the standards 5, has given to it a free spring-actuatedmovement within said peculiar shaped slot that allows free exercise ofthe rockers along the lines of the axles, but will not allow of anylateral adverse divergence from said lines.

The springs 7, whichare hung directly beneath the middle of the axlesand rockers,give to the latter, when set in motion, lively, easyreciprocating movements both in rocking to and fro, and on arrival ateach extremity of their movement insures their return to theircenter-bearings by the counteracting reciprocating movements of theircenter bearing springs, which are consequently balancesprings.

By the use of this reciprocating center-bearing spring and thehanger-links, by which it is suspended and by which it is held in linewith the axle or track (as the case may be) on which the rocker springswork, the difIiculty is avoided that arises with rockers that work onraised or elevated tracks or platforms (as the bearings become worn orstrained) of divergence from the line of said tracks in their movements;also, there is in the center-bearing balance action of said subsidiaryspring an easy, flexible, normal tendency exerted on the spring-rockersto overcome the shock of the interchange of their reciprocating movementand smoothly glide from one into the other, the springs acting asbalance-springs to overcome the dead-centers in their movements.

I have shown and described my reciprocating center-bearing springs andhangers, especially in their adaptation as an attachment to my combinedchilds carriage, cradle, and rocking-chair; but I do not confine myselfto said application of theinvention, for it is evident that it would beadvantageously appliea ble to all forms of rockers, both spring andotherwise, of cradles, rockingchairs, Ste, in which the rockers areelevated or raised above the floor, &c., where they are used. The saidelevation of the rockers provides the needed opportunity for theattachment of my invention, (both the springs and the hangers thatsupport them and guide them in line on their tracks;) also, the smoothlyflexible spring movement that thus governs the rockers in all stages oftheir movements, especially in overcoming the dead-center in thereciprocating movement to and fro, peculiarly adapts it for use onplatform rocking-chairs for invalids and the aged and infirm, and alsofor my combined carriage and cradle or other elevated rocker-cradleswhen in use for weakly or invalid children.

\Vhen my reciprocating rocker center-bearing spring is used as anattachment to rockingchairs or cradles other than a combined childscarriage and cradle,i n which the flanged end of said reciprocatingspring is seated in the inverted socket 13 in the axle of said carriage, the said flanged end of the spring is secured in a similarinverted socket beneath the track-platform of said rocking-chair orcradle in substantially the same position in relation thereto as it doesin the other case to the axle. 1

I claim as my invention 1. In cradles, rocking-chairs, childrenscarriages, &e., the combination of the combined rocker and spring, thetrackbar on which said rocker Works, the pendentlinks pivoted to therocker, so that they swing on line with said rocker, and the Cspringwhich is pivotally secured to and within said pendent links, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In cradles, rocking-chairs, childrens carriages, &c., a reciprocatingcenter-bearing C- spring beneath the rockers, and traek'bar arranged asthe roekers move to and fro to balance the movements as they alternatefrom one motion to the other, and the upper limb of said spring, whichexerts a 'fulerumal reactionary pressure on the track-bar,substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

3. In cradles, rocking-chairs, childrens carriages, 820., thecombination of a reciprocating center-hearing C-spring and thehanger-links by which it is suspended, the said hangerdinks arranged bybeing pivoted to the rockers and hanging pendent past the axles toretain the rockers on line with their track, and the said spring tobalance the reciprocal movement of the rockers, and at the extremity ofsaid movement to bring them back to their center-bearings, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

at. In cradles, rocking-chairs, ehildrens carriages, &c., thecombination of the combined rocker and spring, the axle on which saidrocker works, the slotted standard that rises from said axle and passesthrough said rocker, the hanger-links, the bolt 14,that secures saidhanger-links to the rocker and the rocker to the slotted standard of theaxle, and the reciprocating eenterbearing springs beneath the rockers,secured at one end to the foot of the hangers and at the other end on aninverted socket beneath the axle or track -platl'orm above,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

I-IEXRY G. PORTMANN.

In presence of BENJN. A. KNIGHT, Suit. KNIGHT.

